About

Through sustained partnerships with colleges and congregations, the foundation seeks to improve the lives of individuals and communities by helping meet the basic needs of nutrition and educational opportunity. Support primarily for higher education institutions and local anti-poverty and anti-hunger organizations.

Established in 1981 in NJ; reactivated in 1989 - Bertram Bonner, was born in 1899 in Brooklyn, New York. At the early age of 22, after putting himself through college at night, Mr. Bonner was named Head Treasurer for Heda Green Banks. As Head Treas. he made many loans to New York builders, which inspired him to become involved in the real estate business. His career spanned six decades and can be credited with the building of more than 30,000 homes and apartments. Corella Bonner, like her husband, was born into poverty in the town of Eagan, TN. As a fourteen-year-old, Corella Allen, along with her mother, sought opportunity in the northern city of Detroit. Arriving penniless, the young Allen soon found work as a cashier at a cafeteria, attended Wayne State University at night, and made sure that her younger siblings went to school. She worked her way up from cashier to manager and was eventually transferred to the Statler chain's New York hotel. It was there she met Bertram Bonner. They were married, four years later, in 1942. The Bonners' involvement in community service emanated from their early work providing food for destitute families in Fort Lauderdale, where the Bonner family lived. When the Bonners moved in 1956 to Princeton, NJ they began a broad-based ecumenical crisis ministry program housed in the Nassau Presbyterian Church. In 1990, after working with John Stevenson, Pres. of Berea college, Bertram and Corella established the first Bonner Scholars Program at Berea College. Mr. Bonner passed away in May of 1993. Mrs. Bonner, however, continued her work at the foundation until her death in July 2002

Established in 1981 in NJ; reactivated in 1989 - Bertram Bonner, was born in 1899 in Brooklyn, New York. At the early age of 22, after putting himself through college at night, Mr. Bonner was named Head Treasurer for Heda Green Banks. As Head Treas. he made many loans to New York builders, which inspired him to become involved in the real estate business. His career spanned six decades and can be credited with the building of more than 30,000 homes and apartments. Corella Bonner, like her husband, was born into poverty in the town of Eagan, TN. As a fourteen-year-old, Corella Allen, along with her mother, sought opportunity in the northern city of Detroit. Arriving penniless, the young Allen soon found work as a cashier at a cafeteria, attended Wayne State University at night, and made sure that her younger siblings went to school. She worked her way up from cashier to manager and was eventually transferred to the Statler chain's New York hotel. It was there she met Bertram Bonner. They were married, four years later, in 1942. The Bonners' involvement in community service emanated from their early work providing food for destitute families in Fort Lauderdale, where the Bonner family lived. When the Bonners moved in 1956 to Princeton, NJ they began a broad-based ecumenical crisis ministry program housed in the Nassau Presbyterian Church. In 1990, after working with John Stevenson, Pres. of Berea college, Bertram and Corella established the first Bonner Scholars Program at Berea College. Mr. Bonner passed away in May of 1993. Mrs. Bonner, however, continued her work at the foundation until her death in July 2002